For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), the holiday season is a time of increased activity, both in commerce and in cyber threats. Cybercriminals know this is when many organizations are most vulnerable staffing is reduced, IT teams are stretched thin, and the focus is on closing out the year strong. This makes the ability to rapidly respond to a cyber incident not just a nice-to-have but an absolute necessity.
At ALCiT, we specialize in cybersecurity for SMBs and we have seen how quick and decisive action can be the difference between a minor hiccup and a catastrophic breach.
The holiday season is a peak time for cyberattacks due to several factors:
Reduced Monitoring: Many SMBs operate with skeleton crews during holidays, leaving fewer eyes on critical systems.
Increased Social Engineering: Employees are more likely to fall for phishing emails disguised as holiday promotions or urgent year-end requests.
Remote Work: Remote work environments can be more susceptible to cyberattacks if proper security measures aren't in place.
Network Vulnerabilities: Holiday-related network changes and software updates can introduce vulnerabilities if not properly configured.
Higher Stakes: Cyberattacks during peak sales periods can cause significant financial damage, making businesses more likely to pay ransoms.
When an incident occurs, every second counts. Delays in engagement give attackers more time to escalate their attack, exfiltrate data, or spread malware across systems. In cybersecurity, the first hours of an incident—often called the "golden hour"—are critical. A rapid response ensures:
Minimize Damage: The sooner you detect and respond to an attack, the less damage it can cause.
Threat Containment: Quarantining affected systems prevents lateral movement within the network.
Limit Downtime: Quick action can help restore normal operations and minimize business disruption during your busiest season.
Protect Your Reputation: A rapid response can help prevent damage to your brand reputation and protect the trust from vendors and partners.
If your business doesn’t already have an incident response plan—or if you’re not confident your current provider can handle a holiday crisis—it’s time to act. At ALCiT, we specialize in helping Canadian SMBs stay secure year-round, and our rapid response capabilities ensure you’re never left vulnerable.
We help with:
Deployment of trained experts immediately to assess and neutralize the threat.
Ensure compliance requirements are met. such as those outlined by PIPEDA
Help you coordinate with third parties, such as cyber insurance providers, law enforcement, or regulators.
24/7 Monitoring: Our security experts monitor your network around the clock to detect and respond to threats.
We help you have a well-defined incident response plan to guide your actions in the event of an attack.
Our team can quickly analyze the incident to determine its scope and impact.
We take immediate steps to contain the attack and prevent further damage.
We work to recover any lost or compromised data.
We help restore normal operations and minimize business disruption.
We tailor our cybersecurity strategies to align with your specific needs, ensuring that you and your business are protected when it matters most and all year round!
Don’t wait, book your 20-minute session with one of our experts to review your plan. (Without fees or obligation)